San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-02-21
Lionel. L,onelt- shouts Kalpn.

Come, Lionel-here is papa at lastl"
says Mrs. Gerard, catching up the boy
| and going to meet them.
She puts down the child, and he runs
fearlessly to his father who, in the fast
forgetting existence of childhood, is
hardly more than name TO him.
Wynyard stOOps and takes him up in
his arms-if there is one thing he loves
on earth, it is this little child-and
talks to him, trying jealousy to recall
TO the child's mind little incidents
from the past in which he himself was
concerned. But Lionel had forgotten
everything, and only shakes his head
when he asks if he remembers this or
that.
Then he on his part begins to lisp
something or other about Clytie. ely
tiel With the name flood OF painful
recollections sweep over Wynyard, and
his face flushes.
"Oh, where is Clyhe, blythe bye?
says Mrs. Gerard, with assumed care
lesSness. "Clytie, here is my cousin
Mr.. Wynyard Gerard-Miss Ashton,
Wynyard."
And Wynyard bows over little Lilo
nel's black head with as much self
possession as he can muster.
Shouts of ringing baby-laughter reach
Wynyard Gerard's ears an hour later
when he is dressing for dinner. He
moves to the window and looks out.
On the lawn Clytie is playing with Lilo
mel. She is already dressed for dinner,
in a soft white lace gown. Lionel is
tr0tting after her, his great dark eyes
all aglOw with excitement. He clutches
at her gown; she eludes his grasp and
retreats from him, running backwards
The child gives a cry of disappoint.
ment, and she catches him in her arms
and showers kisses upon his rosy lips.
They make lovely picture, the girl
and the child-she with her golden hair
coiled round head shaped like that of
the classic Clytie, the other running
over" with curls of silken blackness.
Wynyard watches them till the gong
sounds and rouses him with start.
"Wynyard Gerard, you have been
fool once in the course of your life" he
mutters to his reflection in the glass.
Over their wine Ralph tells Wynyard
OF the little romance discovered after
the miller's death; of the subsequent
so he puts it, for he does not want
Wynyard to think he knows anything
of that by-gOne summers history-in-
terest he and his wife took in Clytie,
and of their finally inducing her to
live at the Court; of the affection they
both feel for her and she feels for
them.
Wynyard listens in silence; but his
host can see that he is keenly interested.
He's very much improved during the
past four years. He has lost something
OF his old self-cCnsciousness of power.
The weeks 60 by, but still he stays
on at the Court. He knows now-he
cannot hide it from himself-that his
hearts object is to win back the girl he
loves.
And now a dark cloud comes over
the sunlit caves Of the stately old
house. Hitherto the inmates have been
secure from the dread fever that is
making so many houses desolate IN
the village; but one hot breathless sum-
mer hour it steals into the Court, and
takes sweet little child into its en-
brace.
For many days little Lionel lies bat
ting for life, and none can tell what the
issue will be. In the many sOrrOwful
vigils beside the fever-stricken child,
Wynyard Gerard and Clytie discover
the best and truest side of each others
nature as they would never have dis
covered it in unshadowed happiness.
All that is manly and strong and ten
der in Wynyard comes out now, and
effaces from the girls heart the memo
ry of the empty fOllies and graver
faults of his earlier youth.
There comes at last the crisis, and
Mrs. Gerard and Clytie are watching
silently for the change they know must
be near. Wynyard is pacing up and
down on the lawn under the window.
The dawn is just breaking, the stars
are just fading away in the soft gray
sky; there is a faint stirring of the
leaves and a distant twitter of the
birds, when light football is heard.
and Wynyard, turning, sees Clytie,
His heart grows cold within him, but
he will try to save her the pain of hay
ing to deliver the message. He whis-
pers the words
"He is deadl?
mo, no; he lives-he will live nowI"
Clytie answers him, voice and lips
quivering.
Some hours later the two are walk
ing together, and the girls words are
in answer to the mans question.
"Stayl"-forcing herself to talk brave
ly. Have you forgotten that, though
my mother was lady, my father was
not gentleman, and therefore l am
not what the world would call lady?
-you"-faltering thought of this
once, think-long ago."
Il could hardly dare to hope that you
would forgive me" he says, with great
bitterness in his tOne-the shame and
humility on his face are very real.
"Clytie"-catchifg and holding her
hands, and speaking with passionate